1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera which includes as a built-in unit, or which is removably attachable, a flash unit having an illumination-angle varying mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
A camera which includes a built-in flash unit having a flash zooming mechanism has conventionally been proposed.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application No. Hei 1-157328 proposes a camera which is provided with a turnable flash unit including a flash zooming mechanism and a drive motor therefor.
This arrangement, however, has a number of disadvantages. For example, since it is necessary to incorporate an exclusive motor for driving the flash zooming mechanism in the flash unit, the cost of the flash unit increases and the size of the flash unit itself increases. In the case of a structure in which the flash unit having the above-described construction is disposed for turning motion between a projected position and a non-projected position, it is impossible to move the flash unit sufficiently rapidly because of its heavy weight. Therefore, it is difficult to cause the flash unit to flash at an accurate time.
Portability is an important consideration in the design of recent flash units, whether of the types built in cameras or externally attachable to cameras. To meet portability, one type of flash unit is designed so that the flash unit is in a pop-down state during normal photographic operation and only when flashing is needed, is it popped up. However, in such a flash unit, during photography, since it is necessary to vary an illumination angle in accordance with the focal length of an attached photographic lens after the pop-up operation of the flash unit has been completed, a so-called release time lag increases and a shutter opportunity may be missed.